The desire for new forms of transportation is an ongoing pursuit of modern man. Some of the challenges of designing vehicles revolve around high energy-efficiency while maintaining good usability. User fun factor is also a part of the equation and this sometimes offsets sub-optimal performance in various other aspects of such vehicles. Reducing weight by simplifying the structure of a vehicle is also a consideration when designing new vehicles.
Personal transportation vehicles such as scooters and motorcycles have known levels of user excitement when ridden. They are considered primarily a point-to-point mode of transportation, and not necessarily seen as an entertainment ride. Once the rider has mastered how to operate them, scooters are seen as something you point in the direction of where you want to go and then wait until you get there.
One form of wheeled vehicle is the unicycle. Although the unicycle is entertaining for some, overall it is not an effective mode of transportation because of, among other things, balance and speed issues. Unlike multi-wheeled vehicles, much more skill and effort are required to balance and steer, or maneuver, a unicycle. Additionally, unlike multi-wheeled vehicles, which are larger than unicycles, there is little room for energy storage and power generation in a unicycle. However, a one-wheeled vehicle, i.e., a unicycle, is lightweight and has a small footprint, both of which are desirable characteristics for a transportation device.
What is needed is a unicycle that is self-balancing, self-powered, and easy for a rider to steer, or maneuver.